The second of the Etranges Exhibitions traveled to a disused textile warehouse in the Croix-Rousse district of Lyon. Here, Beaulieu abandoned psychological minimalism for baroque chaos.
The space was divided into nine booths, each manned by a performer wearing a porcelain mask of Beaulieu’s own face. These performers did not speak. They did not move. They simply held glass jars containing what appeared to be human teeth suspended in formaldehyde, though later analysis (conducted by a curious forensic student who attended) suggested the teeth were actually carved from bovine bone and coated in caramel.
The centerpiece, however, was a machine Beaulieu called L’Automate à Regret. It was a crank-operated diorama. For two Euros, visitors could turn a brass wheel. Inside a mahogany box, tiny mechanical figures would reenact a memory—not a universal one, but a specific memory drawn from Beaulieu’s own childhood: a dog hit by a snowplow, a mother crying at a kitchen table, a birthday cake melting in the rain.
The horror was that patrons reported seeing their own memories in the box.
One visitor, a textile worker named Gaspard Morel, later wrote in a blog post (now lost to Geocities archives): "I saw my father leaving when I was seven. I paid two euros to see my father leave. I turned the crank again. He left again. I did this nineteen times. I couldn't stop. That is the power of Beaulieu's strange exhibitions."
The Lyon show closed after two weeks. Four attendees reportedly sought psychiatric help for "intrusive nostalgia." Beaulieu vanished again, leaving behind the porcelain masks in a trash bin behind the warehouse.
The Montreal installation was the smallest but most psychologically dense. It occupied a former shoe repair shop, no larger than 400 square feet. Attendees recall a single, industrial bulb hanging from the ceiling, illuminating nothing but a heavy velvet curtain.
Beyond the curtain, there were no paintings, no sculptures, and no video screens.
Instead, Beaulieu had excavated the floor, creating a shallow trench filled with cracked mirrors and dried black moss. Patrons were forced to walk a narrow plank—wide enough for only one person at a time—across this trench. As they walked, a hidden looped audio track played recordings of a child’s party, slowed down to one-quarter speed, layered over the sound of a dentist’s drill.
The "exhibition" was the experience of vertigo, reflected infinity, and dread. etranges exhibitions 2002 benjamin beaulieu
Local art critic Hélène Giroux wrote in Le Devoir (October 3, 2002): "There is nothing to see at Beaulieu’s show, and yet I have never felt so seen. The mirrors do not reflect your face; they reflect the back of your head. It is a violation of perceptual physics. This is not an exhibition. It is an exorcism."
The strangeness of the Montreal exhibit lay in its lack of objects. Beaulieu had curated an absence. When asked by a passerby why there were no labels or prices, the artist reportedly replied: "The price is the dream you will have tonight. Spoiler: you won’t sleep."
Today, only three artifacts from the 2002 show are known to survive: a single torn page from "The Unwritten Dictionary" (the word Door, with the definition "A thing that opens both ways, except when you are in a hurry"), a blurry digital photo of The Laughing Chair (metadata shows it was taken on a Sony Mavica floppy-disk camera), and a cassette tape labeled "Ambiance, E.E. 2002, night 3" — which contains 47 minutes of silence, then a door closing, then silence again.
Étranges Exhibitions remains a cult footnote: an exhibition that didn’t just display strangeness, but performed it on its audience. Whether you believe Beaulieu was a visionary or a fraud, one thing is certain — you would have left that old glove factory in 2002 slightly less certain that the world is rational.
And perhaps that was the whole point.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Benjamin Beaulieu or surviving works from Étranges Exhibitions (2002), contact the Archive of Forgotten Art.
There is no record of an exhibition titled "Étranges Exhibitions" by an artist named Benjamin Beaulieu
from 2002 in major art historical databases or contemporary archives.
It is possible the name or date is slightly different. Several other artists named Beaulieu have held notable exhibitions or produced work that might be what you are looking for: Patrick Beaulieu Wall text: A short introductory panel framing "strangeness"
: Known for his "Révélations" project, which uses digital prints and installations to explore human intervention in nature, often featuring muted tones and organic matter like moss and leaves. Kevin Beaulieu
: A Montreal-based artist whose work, such as "The Male Artist," often tackles social issues and trauma through provocative media. Jordan Beaulieu
: A visual artist and book designer active in grassroots and DIY art communities, though their work is more recent (starting the Charlottetown Zine Fest in 2022).
If you can provide a few more details, I can help you find or write the review you need: What medium was used (photography, painting, sculpture)? In which city or gallery did it take place?
Are there any specific themes (surrealism, nature, social commentary) you remember? THE MALE ARTIST | Master Kevin Beaulieu
The story follows Rachel, a businesswoman who becomes intrigued and suspicious of her secretary, Carole. After discovering a coded letter, Rachel suspects industrial espionage but eventually follows the clues to a specific address, leading to a series of encounters. Context Regarding "Benjamin Beaulieu"
There is no prominent historical record of an artist named Benjamin Beaulieu associated with an exhibition of this name in 2002. It is possible that: Search Result Misinterpretation:
Some automated web listings or "extra quality" download sites may use names like "Benjamin Beaulieu" in metadata or as a placeholder, leading to confusing search results. Mistaken Identity:
You may be thinking of a different artist or a smaller, private installation. However, in the public domain, the title is almost exclusively linked to the 2002 French production found on databases like Exhibition I: Montreal (September 2002) – La Chambre
If you are looking for information on a specific photographer or artist with a similar name, could you provide more biographical details specific gallery Etranges Exhibitions 2002 Benjamin Beaulieu Extra Quality
Étranges Exhibitions is a French adult drama film released in 2001 (often associated with 2002 in international listings or home media releases), directed by Benjamin Beaulieu Synopsis and Production
The film follows a young secretary who leads a dual life. While professional and reserved by day, she spends her nights exploring her deep-seated fantasies within a mysterious private club. This secret circle is run by an enigmatic man who orchestrates the encounters and "exhibitions" of the club's members. Benjamin Beaulieu Release Year: 2001 (France) Approximately 90 minutes Lead Cast: Angela Tiger Maud Kennedy
In the early 2000s, Benjamin Beaulieu was involved in several productions within the French "cinéma de charme" and erotic drama genre. Étranges Exhibitions
is typical of the era's focus on high-production-value adult narratives that attempted to blend psychological themes—such as the dichotomy between public identity and private desire—with erotic content. or more detail on the 2000s French adult cinema Étranges Exhibitions - Ouvoir.ca
Étranges Exhibitions (also known as Strange Exhibitions) is a French romance film released on September 8, 2002, directed by Benjamin Beaulieu and Laurent Lévy.
The plot follows Rachel, a woman who becomes suspicious of her secretary, Carole, believing she is involved in industrial espionage. Rachel and her roommate, Amanda, follow Carole to a secret meeting, only to discover she is participating in a harmless, voyeuristic exhibition party. Movie Details Release Date: September 8, 2002 Directors: Benjamin Beaulieu & Laurent Lévy
Writers: Céline Guyot, Martin Guyot, and Philippe Carcout (adaptation) Runtime: 90 minutes Genre: Romance Language: French Production Company: Kerfaroc Films Angela Tiger as Rachel Jif as Carole Maud Kennedy as Amanda Illona as Olivia Pierre Mary as Sylvain Antonin Saint-Aubin as Laurent
For more details or to check availability, you can view the Plex entry for Strange Exhibitions or the IMDb page. Where to Watch Strange Exhibitions (2002) Online - Plex